Environmental Indicators

Learn about environmental indicators and their acronyms:

Raw Material Depletion (RMD) This indicator quantifies the consumption of raw materials during the life cycle of the product. It is expressed as the fraction of natural resources that disappear each year, with respect to all the annual reserves of the material.

Energy Depletion (ED) This indicator gives the quantity of energy consumed, whether it be from fossil, hydroelectric, nuclear or other sources. This indicator takes into account the energy from the material produced during combustion. It is expressed in MJ.

Water Depletion (WD) This indicator calculates the volume of water consumed, including drinking water and water from industrial sources. It is expressed in dm3.

Global Warming (GW) The global warming of the planet is the result of the increase in the greenhouse effect due to the sunlight reflected by the earth’s surface being absorbed by certain gases known as ''greenhouse-effect'' gases. The effect is quantified in gram equivalent of CO2.

Ozone Depletion (OD) This indicator defines the contribution to the phenomenon of the disappearance of the stratospheric ozone layer due to the emission of certain specific gases. The effect is expressed in gram equivalent of CFC-11.

Air Toxicity (AT) This indicator represents the air toxicity in a human environment. It takes into account the usually accepted concentrations for several gases in the air and the quantity of gas released over the life cycle. The indication given corresponds to the air volume needed to dilute these gases down to acceptable concentrations.

Photochemical Ozone Creation (POC) This indicator quantifies the contribution to the ''smog'' phenomenon (the photochemical oxidation of certain gases which generates ozone) and is expressed in gram equivalent of ethylene (C2H4).

Air Acidification (AA) The acid substances present in the atmosphere are carried by rain. A high level of acidity in the rain can cause damage to forests. The contribution of acidification is calculated using the acidification potentials of the substances concerned and is expressed in mode equivalent of H+.

Water Toxicity (WT) This indicator represents the water toxicity. It takes into account the usually accepted concentrations for several substances in water and the quantity of substances released over the life cycle. The indication given corresponds to the water volume needed to dilute these substances down to acceptable concentrations

Hazardous Waste Production (HWP) This indicator calculates the quantity of specially treated waste created during all the life cycle phases (manufacturing, distribution and use). For example, special industrial waste in the manufacturing phase, waste associated with the production of electrical power, etc. It is expressed in kg.